Go Rogue: a case study of an official fan contest

Abstract

The relationship between the media industries and their audiences is increasingly complex. Concepts such as convergence culture foresaw a new kind of relationship, one where the consumers would also be producers, participating in the decision making of their favourite narratives. This article studied a contest sponsored by Disney that promoted the creation of fan videos prior to the release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. It is focused on how the rules of the contest framed fan-made creations, also examining the winning videos. It concluded that, despite the most optimistic expectations, media industries are not only highly interested in maintaining control over their contents, but also over their users’ participation.